Kalacuri Dynasty,Kalachuri dynastyany of several dynasties in Indian history, disparately placed in time and space. Apart from the dynastic name and perhaps a belief in common ancestry, there is little in known sources to connect them.

Early history

The earliest known

Kalacuri

Kalachuri family (c.

AD

550–620 CE) ruled in northern

Mahārāshtra

Maharashtra,

Gujarāt, Mālwa (Mālava)

Gujarat, Malwa, and parts of the western Deccan and probably had their capital at

Māhiṣmatī

Mahishmati in the Narmada River valley. Three members of the

family—Kṛṣṇarāja

family—Krishnaraja,

Śaṅkaragaṇa

Shankaragana, and

Buddharāja—are

Buddharaja—are known from epigraphs and coins distributed over a wide area. Although the rise of the

Bādāmi Cālukyas (

Badami Chalukyas

)

ended

Kalacuri

Kalachuri power in the early 7th century, the dynasty seems to have lingered in the

Mālwa

Malwa region until a late date.

Another

Kalacuri

Kalachuri dynasty rose to power in the Deccan

and spanned the period 1156–81

from 1156 to 1181. This family traced its origin to

Kṛṣṇa

Krishna, conqueror of

Kālañjara

Kalanjara and

Ḍāhala

Dahala in Madhya Pradesh, but its authority in

Karnātaka

Karnataka was established by Bijjala, who originally served as a feudatory of the

Kalyāṇī Cālukyas

Kalyani Chalukyas at

Banavāsī

Banavasi,

Nolambapāḍi

Nolambapadi, and

Tārddevāḍi

Tarddevadi and wrested power from

Cālukya

Chalukya Taila III. The

Kalacuris

Kalachuris held power in

Karnātaka

Karnataka during the reigns of Bijjala’s sons

Someśvara

Someshvara and

Saṅkama

Sankama, but after 1181

Āhavamalla

Ahavamalla and Singhana, two other sons of Bijjala, gradually surrendered authority back to the

Cālukyas

Chalukyas. Despite its brevity, the

Kalacuri

Kalachuri period in

Karnātaka

Karnataka is historically important because it coincides with the rise of the

Liṅgāyat

Lingayat, or

Vīraśaiva

Virashaiva, Hindu sect.

Central India

The best-known Kalacuri Kalachuri family in Indian history ruled in central India, with its base at the ancient city of Tripurī Tripuri (modern Tewar). Its origin is placed about the beginning of the 8th century, but little is known of its early history. The line comes into clearer focus only with Kokalla I (reigned c. 850–885). The period between Kokalla I and Kokalla II (reigned c. 990–1015) is marked by a consolidation of Kalacuri Kalachuri power and by their relations with contemporary dynasties. The success attributed to Kokalla I against the PratihārasPratiharas, the Kalacuris Kalachuris of Uttar Pradesh, the Guhilas of MārwārMarwar, the Cāhamānas of ŚākambharīChauhans (Chahamanas) of Shakambhari, and the kings of Vaṅga Vanga and Konkan appears somewhat exaggerated. Matrimonial relations with the powerful Rāṣṭrakūṭa Rashtrakuta family of the Deccan remained uninterrupted for some time, and the Kalacuris Kalachuris were at times involved in Rāṣṭrakūṭa Rashtrakuta politics, as in the period of Yuvarāja Yuvaraja I (reigned c. 915–945). Between the mid-9th and the early 11th centuries, the Kalacuris Kalachuris pursued a policy of traditional hostility toward the kingdoms of south Kosala, KaliṅgaKalinga, GauḍaGauda, and VaṅgaVanga; occasional clashes with the Gurjaras, the Chandelās (Cāndellās)Chandelas, the eastern CālukyasEastern Chalukyas, the Gujarāt CaulukyasGujarat Chalukyas, and others are mentioned in their records.

These military exploits, however, did not produce any substantial results until the period of Gāṅgeyadeva Gangeyadeva (reigned c. 1015–41), who, besides achieving success against the traditional rivals , Dakṣiṇakośala Daksinakoshala and Orissa, pushed northward to acquire the Vārānasi Varanasi area at the expense of the PālasPalas; he also had substantial success against the Kalyāṇī CālukyasChalukyas of Kalyani (between the Bhima and Godavari rivers). The reign of Gāṅgeyadeva’s Gangeyadeva’s son Karṇa Karna (reigned 1041–73) represents a high point in contemporary military adventurism. He consolidated his power in the VārānasiVaranasi-Allāhābād Allahabad area and undertook large-scale military campaigns in eastern, southern, central, and western India. His successes were short-lived, however, and Kalacuri Kalachuri power declined steadily in the period between Yaśaḥkarṇa Yashahkarna (reigned 1073–1123) and Vijayasiṃha Vijayasimha (reigned c. 1188–1209). The neighbouring GāhaḍavālasGahadavalas, ParamārasParamaras, and Chandelās Chandelas started encroaching on the Kalacuri Kalachuri kingdom, and soon after 1211 Baghelkhand and almost all Ḍāhalamaṇḍala Dahalamandala were incorporated into the Chandelā Chandela kingdom.

Sarayūpāra Sarayupara and Ratanpur

Two other Kalacuri Kalachuri families are known to history: the Kalacuris Kalachuris of Sarayūpāra Sarayupara and the Kalacuris Kalachuris of Ratanpur. The Sarayūpāra Sarayupara family ruled a territory along the banks of the Sarayū Sarayu (modern GhāgharaGhaghara) River, in the Bahraich and Gonda districts, regions of Uttar Pradesh. The family originated in the late 8th century and lasted until the last quarter of the 11th century, when its kingdom extended from the Ghāghara Ghaghara River to the Gandak River and included the towns cities of Bahraich, Gonda, BastīBasti, and Gorakhpur.

The Ratanpur KalacurisKalachuris, who first ruled from Tummāna Tummana and later from Ratanpur (16 miles [26 km] north of BilāspurBilaspur), were distantly related to, and feudatories of, the Tripurī KalacurisTripuri Kalachuris. Beginning to rule in the early 11th century, they gained prominence under Jājalladeva Jajalladeva I in the early 12th century. Early historical documents of their rule continue to Pratāpamalla Pratapamalla (reigned c. 1188–1217) and are then interrupted until the 15th century, by which time the family had split into two branches—Ratanpur and Raipur. No authentic historical document relating to their history after the 15th century is known.